Components of a motorized vehicle are often formed from a variety of different materials. Some components, such as an intake manifold of the vehicle, are often formed of a polymer material (e.g., plastic) to reduce a weight and/or cost of the components, and/or to utilize of other properties of the material, such as thermal resistance. It is often desirable to secure a position of the plastic components within the vehicle through the use of various fasteners, such as bolts. For example, bolts may be inserted through one or more openings of the intake manifold in order to secure the intake manifold to the engine.
However, a weight-bearing quality of plastic components may be decreased relative to components formed of a different material, such as metal. In some conditions, such as conditions in which a fastener inserted into a plastic component is subjected to a large amount of force relative to a weight of the plastic component, it may be difficult to retain the plastic component in its position within the vehicle. Attempts to address the issue of the decreased weight-bearing quality of plastic components include reinforcing the plastic component with one or more metal components. One example approach is shown by Martin in European Patent 0551717. Therein, a method of installing an insert in a plastic body is disclosed. The insert is formed of metal and includes a screw thread. A hole in the plastic is sealed by the insert, and the size and shape of the insert and hole are selected so that axial displacement of the insert into the hole is accompanied by softening of the plastic due to the fastener being preheated or by vibrations applied to the plastic via the insert.
However, the inventors herein have recognized potential issues with such systems. As one example, such inserts often rely on frictional forces between a surface treatment of the insert (e.g., a knurled outer surface) and the softened plastic in order to retain the insert in engagement with the plastic component during conditions in which a load is applied to the insert. Often, during conditions in which a high load is applied to such an insert, the insert may be forcibly decoupled from the plastic component, resulting in a shifting of the position of the plastic component within the vehicle. It is therefore desirable to increase the load-bearing quality of inserts for plastic components in order to more securely maintain the position of the plastic components within the vehicle.
In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by a method, comprising: inserting a housing for a fastener into a passage extending through a vehicle component while cutting a first section of a channel into the vehicle component in an axial direction of the housing with a key of the housing, the key extending radially outward from an outer surface of the housing; then, locking the housing to the vehicle component by rotating the housing within the passage. In this way, the key of the housing cuts the channel into the vehicle component and retains the position of the housing within the vehicle component.
As one example, the housing is inserted into the vehicle component in the axial direction, driving the key of the housing to carve the first section of the channel as the housing is inserted. The housing is then locked to the vehicle component by rotating the housing in a circumferential direction of the housing, driving the key to carve the second section as the housing is rotated within the vehicle component. The key may be heated prior to insertion of the housing into the vehicle component in order to melt a material of the vehicle component to form the channel. By embedding the housing in the vehicle component in the axial direction and then rotating the housing in the circumferential direction, the channel produces an undercut within an interior of the vehicle component. The key is seated in the channel and is held in position by the undercut, retaining the housing in engagement with the vehicle component and increasing the load-bearing quality of the housing.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.